Semiisochronous governor for gas turbines automatically modified by fuel pressure



Oct. 7, 1952 w, JR

SEMIISOCHRONOUS GOVERNOR FOR GAS TURBINES AUTOMATICALLY MODIFIED BY FUEL PRESSURE Filed June 7, 1948 2 srmstrs-smm 1 A 7'- TORNE Y Oct. 7, 1952 A. w. ORR, JR 2,612,944

' SEMIISOCHRONOUS GOVERNOR FOR GAS TURBINES AUTOMATICALLY MODIFIED BY FUEL PRESSURE Filed June 7, 194a a mars-4mm z iya R. P. M.

.am Orr J21 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY v Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED s rare-s iGFF -FIGE pp 2,s12,944 sEMnsoeH-Roitous GOVERNOR on IZGAS' r 'ruanmes FAUTOMATIGAELY Monmmn' l BmnuEnrrnEs-sURE The object-of this ,iinYe n'biOnI-dS".?tO.' correctithe inherent defect in a \centrifugal governor, loaded with a coil spring, at'any given speed so as to impose stabilityrand at theztsamei-stime fobtain the greatest. accuracy oi sp'eed control, that-ids, with the minimumdroop.'" a l l Specifically, the ob;] ect 'is :.,to increase the fuel flow of a gas turbine gradually as =itheirireseiected speed is approached. however rapidly the rloa'd on the governing spring is iincreeisedmandIto make this fuel increase so thsltsthe rtultimate maximum speed attained is approximatelytthe speed at which the governor outs offlthe 'i fuel. That is'to say iwithoutiany*t'overshootingWof themaximum speed. 1. t

Another object is to lim'it @thetm'el :available during acceleration of i a turbine; 4 especially at altitude, but to avoid restricting-thefiuelias the speedapproaches the governed:speedfto tithe point where the desi red 'governed peediiis inot attained;

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view form of my invention.-

Fig. 2 shows an improved detaillo'fithe acceleration control.

Fig. 3 shows ithe rela'ti'onship rbe tween speed and fuel consumption; V H In Fig. 1, I is the fuel entrance, 'lf is alventuri in the -fuel entrance, W4 is a 'governormontrolled gas turbine governor "comprises the-cntrifu gal weights 20 which are driven by a shaft 22 which is also driven by the gas tu r'tmesa. The movement of 1 the weights 20* ioutwardly 'fil'ldf'p the valve I 4 upwardly compresses-the manuallmoperated spring 40 and restrictsjthe fflowithrough t'preierred the opening 2| and is opposed. by-diaphra m 32,

' {tit Claims. (o1; fits-e634) The "threat" of the venturi-Q i2 i -is connected through restriction 24 and passage :26 [to the chambers. {Chfimber ,30. "above the d aphrag 32,; is ;maintained ;;at the pressure er the 111161 entrance I 0, through restriction and passages lfili and l 59, the fuel, fllter I51 and the inc he'd fuel-passage?! 53. The-restriction '24. and Taft "Ive adjustment 36 regulate "droop' byjmodiiying the effect o1' ;the Yenturi suction. When "valve ad'justmentf tt- -is wide-open the; pressures above and below the diaphragm gag are equal. QWh''n 3.6 (is closed fullsuction 96f the venturi "l2 iacts on the diaphragm 32. v U

The "loads on the,centritugal lweiglits 1'2 0 are varied by the cam 93B; and spring "Spring LE2 and the low pressure: ehamheria assist sp'rin 40 in moving thegvalve l4 .down towards the open position, ;iust ;as l the centrifugal weights 20 move the valve l4 .upvtowards its. "closed position. Q v

- C It is desirable; to --delay the e'f feotoi the verituri I! :so that the vturbine is ggmduany brought illp to the selected'speed and thisselectedspeedfis not exceeded. This. result ,is accomplished theifollowing meansg A l U Theqnovement oilt e diaphragm. 3 2 in a unwr ward direction-is checked}by a restriction 53'4. The returnmovement" offithe diaphragm 32 m an upward direction -is facil'itated by a s'pi'iiig loaded check valve 13.; The spring .l'o'a'd'e 29 is located in a'bypass fl Iwhichcoinhiiiriibates with a chamber; 3;, which gihairiberf3 maintained ;.at ithe-press re in the .fuel :entm (5e l 0.

Hence. the diaphragm 32 "is free to "move i'liblbi'it is,delayedin its downward movement. The, i l4 thus-moves ,less freely down thanhit fflii les up torestrlettheiuelflow,

These elements which controlthe spieefiiTo-fftlie governor and thus the speed v of h the turhih'e are associated. wvith other elements of the complete gas turbine controlas iollowsz.

Specifically, a manually controlled shut oiif valve 46 is used to shut all fuel ofi when stopping the engine. Atvthesame timethe valve 41 is opened to rtelievethe pressure in the fuel entrance t'll. A cam 49, engages with a link, com nectedfto "the "valve tagan is mov jty a pen crank lever 5| which isjconneeted by suitable linkage with the camsaianajthe "v'alvefifl.

50 is the air entrance to the gas turbine .53 havinga shaft 200. .52 is the turbine driven compressor delivering compressed airto the combustion chamber (54. A chamber {[211 is t in tree communication .vv-ith the air {entrance 15!), through the passage H8, andt con'taiiis a teii peratfire and: pressure responsive evacuated (bellows. II'U (partially evacuated) which is adjusted by bolt H6. Spring II2 applied a constant upward pressure to bellows H9. When the element H9 expands at altitude, rod 80 descends and moves a servomotor piston valve Bl downwardly. The descent of the valve-BI causes the annular piston 62 to also descend because the descent of the valve 5| admits high pressure fuel to the upper v side of the piston 52 from the chamber I54, passage I50 and annular chamber I62. The lower part of piston 62, in cylinder 64, is exposed to a lower pressure because it is connected to the low pressure in the pump return passage 66 through the restriction 15, passage 69 and restriction 16. The annular chamber I62, around the annular piston 62, is connected to the passage 68 through the restriction 69. The passage 68 connects the pressure in passage 66 with the chamber 12, above the piston IE2, through the restrictions 14 and 16in series.

The pressurein'the passage 19, being connected through the filter I1, equals the pressure in the outlet passage I6 downstream from the regulating valve I4. The pressure in passage l'ii is maintained below the pressure in the fuelentrance I0 by a constant amount by the valve 88, spring 99 and passage 10. I

The extension 82, of the piston 62,- pushes the balanced valve 84 down and compresses the spring 83 whenever the bellows III] is suficiently expanded. When the balanced valve 84 descends some of the fuel in entrance I0 is discharged into the low pressure fuel passage 56. The valve 84 is urged toward its seat by the light spring 83'.

An emergency (600 pounds per square inch) pressure relief valve 86 is provided.

The usual manually controlled conical valve I44 is provided in the outlet I46 from the combustion chamber 54.

The fuel passage I56 is connected to the outlet passage I6. The low speed needle valve I52 admits fuel from the fuel filter chamber I54 to the low pressure fuel passage I56 bypassing fuel control valve I4. Chamber I54 is connected through the passage I53 to the fuel entrance passage Iil. The fuel flows along the passagellifi, through the chamber I54, through filter I51. through the passage I58, to the passage I59, to

the chamber '33, and to the chamber containing the revolving weights 2!].

The passage 3M connects the low pressure fuel Description of Fig. 2

This is a modification of the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 1 with the following changes: The servomotor piston valve Iii'l is made the same diameter as the rod 89. i I The rod I82 is now made smaller than the rod 89.

The bias on the partially evacuated element I I 9 is determined by the pressure exerted by the spring I I2 and the pressure existing in the chamber I64, the area of the piston valve I'6I and the stiffness of the spring I81. I

The pressure in the chamber I64 is determined 4 by the restriction I15 and the restriction I99 in the pipe I95 which connects the pipe 260 with the chamber I64 below the servomotor piston I9 I.

A corresponding pipe I93 is provided connecting the chamber I12 with the passage 285. A restriction'l91, in the pipe 193m conjunction with the restriction I14, determines the pressure in the chamber I12.

"In Fig. 3 the horizontal line indicates revolu' tions per minute. The vertical line indicates fuel consumption in pounds per hour. The line OH isthestraight line characteristic at a specific altitude of the discharge from the pump 21 with the valve 94 in a fixed position. The line OADF indicates the effect of the construction shown in Fig. 2 in modifying the fuel revolutions per minute characteristics of the pump 21-va1ve 84 combination. The slope of line OH declines with altitude. A restriction I16 in passage I68 corresponds to restriction 1.6 in passage 68in Fig. 1.

Operation of Fig. 1

Assume steady running at arelatively slow speed. Assume that cam 38 is rotated anticlockwise. The load on thespring 4D is increased and the valve I4 is moved down causing an increase in fuelfiow and a drop in pressure in the venturi I2.

The centrifugal governor acts at the speed when the centrifugal force of the centrifugal weights 20 overcome the force of the spring 49.

When the valve I4 first moves up, to restrict the fuel-flow through the passage I5, the flow through the venturi I2 decreases and the pressure in the chamber 28 increases. However, due to the restriction 34, the diaphragm 32 does not follow immediately. Ultimately the increase in pressure in chamber 28 causes the valve I4 to move up slightly to check the speed so that the speed is checked by the combined action of centrifugal weights 2!] and the venturi l2 acting in the same direction to cause airapid decrease in fuelfor a slight increase in revolutions per minute.

At altitude the bellows III] opens and moves the cylindrical valve 6| downwards. To whatever point the valve BI moves to that same point moves the piston 82. This is the well known servomotor mechanism now in almost universal use. As the piston 62 descends the balanced valve 84 opens and determines the slope of the line OH (Fig. 3).

When the valve 84 is partly open, at altitude, the fiow of fuel from the positive displacement pump 21 is, to a certain degree, bypassed by this valve 84; Hence, there is a limit to the amount of fuel that can be delivered per second during acceleration before the governor has-a chance to restrict the fuel flow. During thisperiod the fact that the valve 84 is partly open prevents the turbine 53 from becoming overheated during acceleration. 7

- Operation of Fig. 2

As the area of I82 is much smaller than the area of rod there is an upward force acting on the rod 80 equal to the pressure in chamber I54. This pressure has a tendency at high speed to permit'the balanced valve 84 to close slightly. This tendency of the valve 84 to close raises the quantity discharged at nozzle I8 slightly at high speed. The centrifugally controlled valve I4 will then always out 01f the fuel at the speed selected by the cam 38. Without this action of rod 88 on the valve 84' a situation arises Where the speed of the turbine is checked by the capacity of the to the pressure drop at said control valve to open said valve, yieldable means to close said valve so as to maintain a. substantially constant pressure drop at said control valve.

6. A device as set forth inclaim in which there is a second bypass, a balanced valve located in said second bypass leading from the'outlet passage to the return passage also located upstream of said venturi and of said control valve, barometric means for opening said second valve at altitude. i I

7. A device as set forth in claim-5 in which there is a second bypass, 'abalanced valve located in'said second bypass leading from the outlet passage to the return passage also located upstream of said venturi and ofsaid control valve, temperature responsive-and barometric means for opening said second'valve at high temperatures and altitude. v V l 8. A device as set forth in clairn 5 in which there is a restriction in one of the passages OOH",

necting the chamber enclosing said moving wall to delay the response of said moving wall to .a sudden opening movement of thecontrol valve.

9. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which there is a second bypass leading from the outlet passage to the return passage also located up stream of said venturi, a balanced valve located in said second bypass, temperature responsive and barometric means for-opening said balanced valve at altitude, second speed responsivemeans for slightly closing said balanced valve at high turbine speed.

10. In combination with source of motive fluid under; pressure, a rnotive fluid passage, a supply valve for said prime mover in said passage, a venturi therein, a chamber, a

diaphragm dividing the "chamber into two parts,

a pressure chamber and a suction chamber, a restricted passage connecting the pressure side of said venturito the pressure chamber, anunree 4 stricted passage in parallel with-the first men-, tioned restricted passage, a check valve therein permitting the diaphragm to .move freely in the direction of reducing the volume of the chamber.

on the pressure side of the diaphragm and less freely in the other direction, a passage connecte ing the suction chamber to the throat ofisaid venturi, yieldable means for openingsaid supply valve, a speed responsive governor of thelc'en trifugal type driven by said engine and connected to said supply valve to impose a closingiforce on said supply valve, 2. yieldable connection from a motive fluid, 'a supply of motive fluid under pressure, a passage for said fiuidgafirst restriction in said passage, a second restriction in said passage, a contoured throttle in said second;

restriction'said governor beingconnected to said throttle to close said second restriction at high speeds, manually controlled yieldable meanscon nected to said throttle and opposed to'the'faction ofthe'governor so as to open the throttle, automatic flow responsive means responsive to the drop in pressure of the motive fluid in said pas-' sage at said first restriction, a yielclable connec-- tion from said automatic means to'said throttle so as to open it so that anincrease in flowof motive fluid tends to assistjthemanually'cona prime mover, a

trolled yieldable means in opening the throttle, hydraulic snubbing means associated with the automatic means duringv acceleration so as to delay the action of the automatic means and to be inoperative to permit the automatic means to act freelyduring deceleration when reducing the flow; of fluid.

- 12. Asemi -isochronous governor fora gas turbine and the like comprising a plurality of rotating weights, a spring opposing the centrifugal force of said weights, a sourcevof motive fluid for said gas turbine under pressure, a main passage therefor, aventuri, therein, a control valve to control the liow'through 'said'venturi, a chamber, a moving wall therein dividing said chamber into two parts','a passage from one part to the low pressure inthe throat of said venturi, a passage from the other part to the normal pressure in said main fluid passage, a 'yieldable connection from said moving wall to said control valve to movesaidvalve into its open position, a second connection from saidvalve to said governor whereby the difference between the centrifugal force: and its opposing spring moves the valve toward its closed position, and manually operated means forincreasing the opposing spring force, a (:jh'eckvalve in the passage applying normal pressure to said moving wall, said check valve adapted to open freely when the flow through the venturi is being reduced by a reduction in the opposing spring force and to be closed whenever the flow through the venturi is being increased by an increase in the opposing spring force, a restricted bypass around said check valve.

lEi ii'semi-isochronous governor for a gas turbine andjthe like comprising a plurality of rotating weights, a spring opposing the centrifugal force of said weights, a source of motive fluid for said gas turbine under pressure, a main passage therefor, a venturi therein, a, control valve to control the flow through said venturi, a chamber, a moving wall therein dividing said chamber into two parts, a passage from one part to the low pressure in the throat of said venturi, a passage from the other part to the normal pressure in said main fluid passage, 3, yieldable connection from said moving wall to said control valve to move said valve into its open position, a second connection from said valve to said governor whereby 'the difference between the centrifugal force and its opposing spring movesthe valve toward its closed position, and a restriction in the passage applying venturi suction to the chamber adjacent said moving wall, a second passage leadin fromsaid low pressure side of said moving wall to the normal pressure in said main fluid passage and a manually adjustable valve in said second passage to modify the suction effect of flow through said venturi on said moving wall.

ii. A centrifugal governor for a gas turbine and the likfepa manually controlled spring opposing the centrifugal force derived from said governor, a control valve jointly controlled by-said opposing forces, a source of motive fluid for said gas turbine, a main fluidpassage therefor, said controlvalve being located in said main fluid pas-' pressure sideof saidmovim wall withithe pressure in the main fluid passage, a low pressure passage "connecting the low pressure side of said moving wall with the low pressure created by said restriction, the'moving wall thus forming a fluid flow responsive means, a connection from the moving wall to said valve so that the motion of moving wall opposes the motion due to centrifugal force as the speed of the gas turbine and the velocity of the flow of said motive fluid are both increased and a spring interposed between the moving wall of the flow responsive means and the fuel valve.

15. A centrifugal governor for a gas turbine and the like, a manually controlled spring opposing the centrifugal force derived from said governor, a control valve jointly controlled y Said opposing forces, a source of motive fluid for said gas-turbine, a main fluid passage therefor, said control valve being located in said main fluid passage to control the flow therethrough, a moving wall, a chamber enclosing said moving wall and divided thereby into two parts, a restriction insaid passage, a pressure passage connecting the pressure side of said moving wall with the pressure in the main fluid passage, a low pressure passage connecting the low pressure side of said moving wall with the low pressure created by said re striction, the moving wall thus forming a fluid flow responsive means, a connection from the moving wall to said valve so that the motion of moving wall opposes the motion due to centrifugal force as the speed of the gas turbine and the velocity of the flow of said motive fluid are both increased, and. a spring interposed between the moving wall of the flow responsive means and the control valve and there is a one way valve in the wall on the pressure side of the chamber of said moving wall so as to prevent the immediate response of the movingwall to an increase in the opening motion of the control valve due to the increase in the manually controlled spring force opposing said centrifugal force and to an increase in velocity of flow of said motive fluid.

16. A centrifugal governor for a gas turbine and the like, a manually controlled spring opposing the centrifugal force derived from said governor, a control valve jointly controlled by said opposing forces, a source of motive fluid for said gas turbine, a main fluid passage therefor, said control valve being located in said main fluid passage to control the flow therethrough, a moving wall, a chamber enclosing said moving wall and divided thereby into two parts, a re- 1 striction in said passage, a pressure passage connecting the pressure side of said moving wall with the pressure in the main fluid passage, a low pressure passage connecting the low pressure side of said moving wall with the low pressure created by said restriction, the moving wall thus forming a fluid flow responsive means, a connection from the moving wall to said valve so that the motion of moving wall opposes the motion due to centrifugal force as the speed of the gas turbine and the velocity of the flow of said motive fluid are both increased and a restriction in the passage leading to the chamber on the low pressure side of said moving wall and a manually adjusted valve admitting higher pressure to the said low pressure side so as to control the influence of the flow responsive means on speed regulation.

17. A prime mover, a passage, a source of motive fluid for said prime mover under pressure connected to said passage to cause motive fluid to flow therethrough, a valvein said passage, a' centrifugal governor for said prime mover connected to said valve, a manually controlled spring opposing the centrifugal force of said governor, flow responsive means responsive to the flow in said passage, 9, second spring interposed between said flow responsive means and said valve so that the flow responsive means imposes through said second spring, a second opposition force to said centrifugal force increasing as the square of the velocity of flow through said passage.

ANDREW WILLIAM ORR, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,374,844 Stokes May 1. 1945 2,422,808 Stokes June 24, 1947 2,438,663 Greenland Mar. 30, 1948 2,531,780 Mock Nov. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 429,682 Great Britain June 4, 1935 

